Smoked St. Louis-Style Ribs

Rubbed with plenty of brown sugar, chile powder, cinnamon, cumin and coffee, these meaty pork ribs get a double dose of smoke while grilling low and slow for five hours.

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Yields:
6
- 8

Prep Time:
2
hours
0
mins

Cook Time:
5
hours
15
mins

Total Time:
7
hours
15
mins

Ingredients

1
c.
packed light brown sugar

1
tbsp.
Freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2
tsp.
chile powder

1 1/2
tsp.
Cinammon

1 1/2
tsp.
cumin

1 1/2
tsp.
ground dark roast coffee

kosher salt

2
racks St. Louis-cut pork ribs (6 lb.), membranes removed from the underside of each rack

7
c.
oak chips, soaked in water for 1 hour and drained

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar with the pepper, chile powder, cinnamon, cumin, coffee and 1/3 cup of salt. Season the ribs all over with salt, then rub both racks with 1 cup of the spice mix.

Light a hardwood charcoal fire and set up the grill for indirect cooking; you’ll need to replenish the coals periodically to maintain the heat. Close the grill and, using the air vents to control the fire, bring the internal temperature to 250 degrees F.

Scatter 2 cups of the oak chips over the hot coals. Set the ribs meat side up on the grill opposite the coals. Close the grill and smoke the ribs at 250 degrees F to 275 degrees F for 2 hours, adding coals as necessary to maintain the heat; add another 2 cups of the oak chips to the hot coals after the first hour.

Transfer the ribs to a baking sheet. Layer two 36-inch sheets of heavy-duty foil on a work surface and set a rack of ribs in the center, meat side up; wrap tightly in the foil. Repeat with 2 more layers of foil and the remaining rack of ribs. Set the rib packets meat side up on the grill opposite the coals. Close the grill and cook the ribs at 250 degrees F to 275 degrees F for 2 hours longer, adding coals as necessary to maintain the heat.

Transfer the rib packets to a baking sheet, then unwrap the ribs, discarding the foil. Scatter 2 cups of the oak chips over the hot coals. Return the ribs meat side up to the grill opposite the coals. Close the grill and smoke the ribs at 250 degrees F to 275 degrees F until very tender, 1 hour. Add coals as necessary to maintain the heat and scatter the remaining 1 cup of oak chips on the hot coals halfway through smoking.

Transfer the ribs to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut into sections and serve.

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